Durdle Door in Lulworth has long lured film crews, doubling as a backdrop for Hollywood and Bollywood hits, period dramas and family films.
The latest film to feature Durdle Door is Project Hail Mary, a 2026 sci-fi blockbuster starring Ryan Gosling and based on Andy Weir’s bestselling novel.
Ryan Gosling spotted at Durdle Door filming for Project Hail Mary
Filming in October 2024 forced the Lulworth Estate to shut Durdle Door beach, nearby Man O’War Beach and the car park for several days for the Amazon MGM crew.
Walkers on the South West Coast Path reportedly spotted Ryan Gosling on the beach.
The landmark reached a global audience in the 2016 Bollywood comedy Housefull 3, starring Akshay Kumar and Jacqueline Fernandez.
The hit song Pyar Ki Maa Ki was filmed on the beach, and the Lulworth Estate later added Hindi signs after the film’s success.
Scenes from hit song Pyar Ki Maa Ki filmed at Durdle Door
The Jurassic Coast landmark also appears in two versions of Thomas Hardy’s Far from the Madding Crowd, filmed in 1967 and 2015.
Other films shot at Durdle Door include Nanny McPhee (2005) with Emma Thompson and Colin Firth, and Wilde (1997) starring Stephen Fry, Jude Law and Vanessa Redgrave.
Filming for 2005 Nanny Mcphee at Durdle Door
Durdle Door has also starred on the small screen.
In 2022, Durdle Door hosted one of Doctor Who’s biggest moments as Jodie Whittaker regenerated into David Tennant in The Power of the Doctor.
Netflix also filmed scenes there in June 2023 for fantasy series The Sandman, based on Neil Gaiman’s graphic novels and starring Tom Sturridge.
Ben Stiller on set
After years on screen, Durdle Door still draws visitors and film-makers.
Elsewhere in Dorset, In recent days, Ben Stiller was spotted just days ago chatting with members of the public in Highcliffe between breaks from filming his latest Netflix film.
The Netflix film Stiller was filming in Highcliffe has been billed as A Matter of Time, a fantasy drama directed by Harry Bradbeer and due for release next year.
Crews filmed on Avon Beach and at Highcliffe Castle on July 14, with filming in the area stopping at around 5pm.
Project Hail Mary also features Sandra Hüller, who has recently appeared in The Zone of Interest and Anatomy of a Fall.